Now For Something Completely Different on the Forums

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  1. gmwilliams profile image83
    gmwilliamsposted 4 years ago

    https://usercontent2.hubstatic.com/14738155.jpg
    Who is God to you?

    1. Kyler J Falk profile image84
      Kyler J Falkposted 3 years agoin reply to this

      God to me is an uncomfortable topic in which you cannot openly oppose people in their beliefs, lest you get some moralistic interpretation of someone else's abstract reality that applies solely to them and not perfectly, or even nearly to others. Essentially, God is whatever you want it to be, and is notorious for causing as-of-yet endless conflict all around the world.

      Taking a more philosophical stance, though? There is no universal God, no entity or being to turn to when we die, but there is instinct and biological constructs to explain the necessity of the concept people place on the abstract reality that is God. Essentially, it makes sense that most of the world is, "spiritual," in some way, even more explainable would be the mechanisms that draw people to it-- such as the endless conflict it creates that I mentioned already.

      God, to me, is nothing more than a human's ability to be paragon-like. In our attempts to make things better we create the concept of Godliness, and try to emulate that same manmade construct. In our guilt for failing to live up to our own standards, feeling shame for our ignorance, and suffering incessantly as human existence demands of us for growth, we create the antithesis that is Hell and a Devil.

      I hope this is an appropriate answer.

      1. MizBejabbers profile image92
        MizBejabbersposted 3 years agoin reply to this

        It is appropriate because that is the reality you have created for yourself. It is apparent to me that you have never had a true spiritual experience because those of us who have do not rely on faith but are secure in the knowledge of what we have experienced. Now please don't take this for a criticism of you. It is not. We all have our own realities and most of us are where we are supposed to be. Even the zealot Christian slayer, the Roman Jew Saul, had an experience that turned him into Paul the Christian zealot. Most peoples' experiences aren't that dramatic, however. So don't be surprised if you experience a life-changing experience. Or not. Blessings to you.

        1. Kyler J Falk profile image84
          Kyler J Falkposted 3 years agoin reply to this

          Deleted

          1. MizBejabbers profile image92
            MizBejabbersposted 3 years agoin reply to this

            Yeah, I'd heard others in the forums say that you were hard to get along with. Frankly I don't give a damn.

            1. profile image0
              TessSchlesingerposted 3 years agoin reply to this

              GDPR Deleted

              1. lobobrandon profile image75
                lobobrandonposted 3 years agoin reply to this

                I think the response was to Kyler who has used foul language. MizB usually gets along with those of opposing views.

                1. profile image0
                  TessSchlesingerposted 3 years agoin reply to this

                  GDPR Deleted

                  1. MizBejabbers profile image92
                    MizBejabbersposted 3 years agoin reply to this

                    No, it wasn't aimed at you, Tess. Sorry that wasn't clear.

                2. Kyler J Falk profile image84
                  Kyler J Falkposted 3 years agoin reply to this

                  "Shove 'em where they count," is foul language? She should go shove her blessings in someone else's face. Don't project your own definitions on to my words if you don't want it to seem foul. Unless you mean the dump, in which case that was in reference to my post, and it was more tactless than foul; my kind of humor, as we all know, or not.

                  By getting along you must mean regularly bashing the beliefs of others without warrant, and getting ignored, lol. We must be witnessing two different sides of the same coin that is Bejabbers.

                  1. lobobrandon profile image75
                    lobobrandonposted 3 years agoin reply to this

                    Haha, you sure are an amazing troll. You picked the right phrase which implies you know exactly what it means. Also, I was not the only one, the first response was someone saying you are hard to get along with. That is true, no doubt the only reason I commented is that Tess thought it was meant for her. Otherwise, I usually ignore you too.

                  2. MizBejabbers profile image92
                    MizBejabbersposted 3 years agoin reply to this

                    No, Kyler J Falk, you put words in my mouth. I said "spiritual experience." You said "religious experience" and got nasty over something I didn't say. To make matters worse, you used the phrase "religious empathy". I cannot relate to going to church and getting the holy ghost. I do get riled when somebody puts words in my mouth and then tries to use them against me.

              2. MizBejabbers profile image92
                MizBejabbersposted 3 years agoin reply to this

                I dunno, Tess, I grew up in a household with a Christian mother and an atheist father. Any problems they (or we) may have had was never caused by religion or the lack thereof. Each gave the other room for their own beliefs. Seeing both sides of the religion story gave me the freedom to explore and make my own choice, and respect theirs. But Tyler was pissed off about misreading what I said anyway. I said "spiritual experience" he repeated it as "religious experience". There is a difference, in my view anyway. A spiritual experience, in my opinion can be anything from seeing a ufo to an out of body experience. And an atheist can react to either in his or her own way. I remember my parents seeing a ufo in the sky one day and both trying to point it out to me. I never did see it. It also didn't change either of their beliefs. lol

                1. profile image0
                  TessSchlesingerposted 3 years agoin reply to this

                  GDPR Deleted

                  1. gmwilliams profile image83
                    gmwilliamsposted 3 years agoin reply to this

                    I was raised a Catholic but left the religion in my very early 20s.   My father was quasi-religious.   My mother was a hardcore religionist-she came from a hardcore religious family.   I see religion as schizoid.  I saw Catholicism as a medieval, authoritarian religion which belongs in medieval times.  I also viewed Catholicism as a misogynic religion which no thinking woman would want to belong to.   I don't believe in any organized religion.   I identify myself as a New Ager who believes in God- a God which is beyond limited, religious labels.   

                    I, too, avoid religionists for I feel that they are fanatical & judgmental of those who believe differently than they do.  They are also very narrow-minded in their approach to the world.  They view the world as evil.  They would be classified as schizoid if you ask me.

            2. Kyler J Falk profile image84
              Kyler J Falkposted 3 years agoin reply to this

              Yes, it is quite apparent you don't give a damn about anyone's reality but your own. Religious empathy always seems this way, I'm afraid.

              "I calls 'em as I sees 'em."

              At least that excuse works for those who take a different, but equally-insensitive approach. It all depends on your flavor of forum bigotry, it would seem.

              I'd toe the line like all you regulars if you were all worth any more than what I already offer.

    2. tsmog profile image84
      tsmogposted 3 years agoin reply to this

      Simply . . . God is

    3. Sikandarwaqas profile image61
      Sikandarwaqasposted 3 years agoin reply to this

      God is nothing.It's just a matter of calming yourself.The human soul always needs support.They resort to God to support themselves.Look at any religion in the world. God does not exist, only the soul.There is practically no God.Spiritually, God exists.

    4. peterstreep profile image82
      peterstreepposted 3 years agoin reply to this

      God is pre-science. It's a theory to explain the world. But this theory is no longer valid. As we understand more and more about the universe, our world, and life, the God theory becomes obsolete.
      God did not create the world in 7 days. This statement is just as ignorant as saying that the world is flat.
      The evolution theory of Darwin is one of the most proven theories out there. Believing that God created life in a single day is just nonsense.

      You do not need a God to tell you what is good or wrong. Millions of people live great and good lives without any God.

      So to me, God is just a fantasy. A concept that's made up by man but does not exist.

      1. peterstreep profile image82
        peterstreepposted 3 years agoin reply to this

        There is another thought I want to add here.
        I think the three main Abrahamic religions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam) made a big philosophical mistake. And that is to separate humans from the rest of nature.
        “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”

        This changed our idea and relationship with nature. The disconnection of nature gave us the moral right to use nature without holding back. As It was given to us, we could do with it whatever suited us.
        We alienated ourselves from nature, feeling superior.
        The consequences of this philosophy led to industrialization, deforestation, melting icecaps etc In the end, it led to the by humans made climate crisis we live in today. As our connection with nature was lost. As it was ok to take from nature without giving back. To cut down a tree without planting one. To make products that are poisonous when used up and thrown away, like batteries and plastic.
        It makes sense to see that the denial of the climate crisis is strongest by religious groups.
        The problem here is that religion is only slowly changing, too slow to keep up with modern developments and ideas about the world. Still, it rules the actions of many people and governments, unwilling to change. Even if it's about life and death.

      2. schoolgirlforreal profile image76
        schoolgirlforrealposted 3 years agoin reply to this

        Jesus

        1. Castlepaloma profile image75
          Castlepalomaposted 3 years agoin reply to this

          It's simple, I'm a biooraganism first.

    5. Kathryn L Hill profile image81
      Kathryn L Hillposted 4 years ago

      God is Mighty Triple O:
        The Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent force behind all that exists.

      1. MizBejabbers profile image92
        MizBejabbersposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        God is all. God is the existence. We are made from God's essence, even quantum physics is proving that. Science and religion are melding. Jesus hinted at that.

        1. schoolgirlforreal profile image76
          schoolgirlforrealposted 3 years agoin reply to this

          Amen

      2. Kathryn L Hill profile image81
        Kathryn L Hillposted 4 years ago

        Microcosm/Macrocosm

      3. Ferd H profile image63
        Ferd Hposted 3 years ago

        Ugh, that is such a difficult question.

        I think God is something like the structure of reality. And I don't even know what that means exactly.

        1. MizBejabbers profile image92
          MizBejabbersposted 3 years agoin reply to this

          And I think you are on the right track. We're just humans and it does get complicated.

      4. profile image0
        ValKarasposted 3 years ago

        God is man's concept of a deity. Other than that -- God is unthinkable.

      5. Kathryn L Hill profile image81
        Kathryn L Hillposted 3 years ago

        God is reality
        God is ignored, misunderstood and unseen ...
        Yet all around us
        And within us.

      6. Kathryn L Hill profile image81
        Kathryn L Hillposted 3 years ago

        Existence must have started after a thought.
        God's thought.
        or maybe after lots of thoughts ...
        or after a lot of thinking!

        BTW How come the Bible never mentioned Dinosaurs?

        1. MizBejabbers profile image92
          MizBejabbersposted 3 years agoin reply to this

          That is a good question, Kathryn. The Bible mentions unicorns 9 times, so why doesn't it mention dinosaurs?

          Here's an example:  Isiah 34:7 (KJV) And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness.

          Maybe it does and the problem is in man's translation. Job 40:15-20 (KJV) speaks of a "behemoth" made by God, and it doesn't mean anything mechanical. Could this be a dinosaur? The description sounds more like a dinosaur than a mammoth. I looked at more modern translations, but they aren't more informative.

      7. Kathryn L Hill profile image81
        Kathryn L Hillposted 3 years ago

        The question was "Who is God to you?"
        I suppose some would say Jesus is.
        Is Jesus God to you?
        If Jesus was God to every one of us, would the world be a better place?

        How so?

        1. MizBejabbers profile image92
          MizBejabbersposted 3 years agoin reply to this

          Well, I don't recall that Jesus ever claimed to be God. He called God "his father." Jesus to me was one of God's children just like the rest of us, except holier. Most of us can't live up to his standards.

      8. Kathryn L Hill profile image81
        Kathryn L Hillposted 3 years ago

        Jesus was a perfected human in that He and God were one. He came to save us from ourselves and our ignorance.
        He brought enlightenment
        He leads the example.
        What if we followed his example more widely and more closely.
        Or are we?? if not by reading The Bible, but by following our hearts more closely?
        Can we just follow our hearts or do we need to read the Bible?
        Those who go to church are the lucky ones, I would say.

      9. bhattuc profile image84
        bhattucposted 3 years ago

        God is a matter of faith only but it helps and that is the beauty in that.

      10. Kathryn L Hill profile image81
        Kathryn L Hillposted 3 years ago

        ... and yet we are a product of imagination as everything is.

        1. GA Anderson profile image83
          GA Andersonposted 3 years ago

          I try to maintain an equitable tolerance level. And I try mightily to stay away from religious threads, but . . .  the comments in this thread just scream to be addressed.

          Since "God" can't, (or hasn't yet), be disproven, how can the 'there is no god' folks be so certain in their opinions?

          Of course, many postulations attributed to "God" can be scientifically explained, but those explanations don't disprove the existence of God, only the singular attribution of an instance to God.

          This discourse bothers me. I am not a believer, but the righteousness of non-believers bothers me more. You cannot disprove God's existence. You can only argue the reality of things attributed to God. 2=2 does not equal 4 in this argument.

          There are so many positive things that I see in living a life of faith that I am envious that I cannot be a part of them, but there is so much wrong with the arguments of the 'there is no God' folks that I am even more glad that I am not one of them.

          It is only my opinion, so file it where you wish, but I think the "there is no God" folks are so full of themselves that they should have a world of their own to live in. Geesh, if I were that egotistical I wouldn't be able to live with my great self.

          GA

          1. peterstreep profile image82
            peterstreepposted 3 years agoin reply to this

            but the righteousness of non-believers bothers me more.

            In general, the people who believe in a God are by far the people who want to convert other people. They have political parties, power structures, organize festivals, have sports clubs with only their kind of believers. Newspapers with their belief trying to spread the word. TV preachers, People who go door to door to impose an opinion and way of life. They have wars and kill because of a God
            The religious people, all over the world. (and it is the vast majority of people I think) are the ones who talk the most about religion. In general, atheists never talk about atheism, only in a discussion.

            So to think that atheists are overstepping their opinion in discussions is something that dwarfs in comparison with believers.
            I think GA that if you compare the two groups, the atheists and the believers, and make a scale for "righteousness" and pointing fingers of how to live your life. The religious people will be by far more aggressive in their ways to convert and impose their will on others than atheists.

          2. Castlepaloma profile image75
            Castlepalomaposted 3 years ago

            To me God would be love. Although I am Agnostic
            Nature would be my religion
            Nationalism is more dangerous than religion.
            It is probably why you don't see me much anymore. The us Against them large groups is wasting too much of my peace and time. Better off privatization with good vibrations.

           
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